Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Physicochemical Properties Of Pseudolatex Systems Prepared From Para Rubber Sheet And Preliminary Drug Loading For Drug Delivery, Wiwat Pichayakom, Rungtiwa Waiprib, Isara Lueanpaen, Jirapomchai Suksaeree, Wirach Taweepreda

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Prediction Equation Of Glomerular Filtration Rate Decline In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes And Preserved Kidney Function At Maharajnakhonsithammarat Hospital, Pliwphai Chaidecha Sukmak, Titinun Auamnoy, Somratai Vadcharavivad

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Author Index, N/A

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Bio-Nano-Interface In Predicting Nanoparticle Fate And Behaviour In Living Organisms: Towards Grouping And Categorising Nanomaterials And Ensuring Nanosafety By Design, Hugh Byrne, Arti Ahluwalia, Diana Boraschi,, Bengt Fadeel, Peter Gehr, Arno C. Gutleb, Michaela Kendall, Manthos Papadopoulos, Iseult Lynch

Articles

In biological media, nanoparticles acquire a coating of biomolecules (proteins, lipids, polysaccharides) from their surroundings, which reduces their surface energy and confers a biological identity to the particles. This adsorbed layer is the interface between the nanomaterial and living systems and therefore plays a significant role in determining the fate and behaviour of the nanoparticles. This review summarises the state of the art in terms of understanding the bio-nano interface and provides direction for potential future research directions and some recommendations for future priorities and strategies to support the safe implementation of nanotechnologies. The central premise is that nanomaterials must …

Novel Liquid Chromatography - Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (Ms) And Triple Quadrupole Ms Methods For The Determination Of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (Dsp) Toxins., Bébhine Carey

Theses

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) appear to be on the rise globally, which not only has a negative impact on the shellfish industry but can also cause human and animal intoxications. In order to advance our knowledge of HABs, specific and sensitive analytical methods are required to aid in monitoring shellfish and algal samples for biotoxins, harmful to consumers.

Intronic Non-Cg Dna Hydroxymethylation And Alternative Mrna Splicing In Honey Bees, Pablo Cingolani, Xiaoyi Cao, Radhika S. Khetani, Chieh-Chun Chen, Melissa Coon, Alya'a Sammak, Aliccia Bollig-Fischer, Susan Land, Yun Huang, Matthew E. Hudson, Mark D. Garfinkel, Sheng Zhong, Gene E. Robinson, Douglas M. Ruden

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Previous whole-genome shotgun bisulfite sequencing experiments showed that DNA cytosine methylation in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) is almost exclusively at CG dinucleotides in exons. However, the most commonly used method, bisulfite sequencing, cannot distinguish 5-methylcytosine from 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, an oxidized form of 5-methylcytosine that is catalyzed by the TET family of dioxygenases. Furthermore, some analysis software programs under-represent non-CG DNA methylation and hydryoxymethylation for a variety of reasons. Therefore, we used an unbiased analysis of bisulfite sequencing data combined with molecular and bioinformatics approaches to distinguish 5-methylcytosine from 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. By doing this, we have performed the first whole …

The Inflammatory Response Initiated By The Spleen To Ischemic Stroke, Hilary Seifert

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The peripheral immune system plays a role in delayed neural injury after stroke. This response originates from the spleen as splenectomy prior to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats significantly reduces infarct volume in the brain. This research is based on the hypothesis that inhibiting the splenic response will reduce neurodegeneration after stroke. Studies in animals have implicated lymphocytes as the immune cell type that is detrimental following MCAO. Interferon gamma (IFNγ) has been identified as a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is also detrimental following stroke. IFNγ is important because it activates microglia and macrophages in a pro-inflammatory nature that …

Synthesis And Biochemical Activities Of Antiproliferative Amino Acid And Phosphate Derivatives Of Microtubule-Disrupting Beta-Lactam Combretastatins, Niamh M. O'Boyle, Lisa M. Greene, Niall O. Keely, Shu Wang, Tadhg S. Cotter, Daniela M. Zisterer, Mary J. Meegan

Articles

The synthesis and biochemical activities of novel water-soluble β-lactam analogues of combretastatin A-4 are described. The first series of compounds investigated, β-lactam phosphate esters 7a, 8a and 9a, exhibited potent antiproliferative activity and caused microtubule disruption in human breast carcinoma-derived MCF-7 cells. They did not inhibit tubulin polymerisation in vitro, indicating that biotransformation was necessary for their antiproliferative and tubulin binding effects in MCF-7 cells. The second series of compounds, β-lactam amino acid amides (including 10k and 11l) displayed potent antiproliferative activity in MCF-7 cells, disrupted microtubules in MCF-7 cells and also inhibited the polymerisation of …

The Biology And Taxonomy Of Head And Body Lice— Implications For Louse-Borne Disease Prevention, Denise L. Bonilla, Lance A. Durden, Marina E. Eremeeva, Gregory A. Dasch

Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) are obligate blood-feeding ectoparasites of placental mammals including humans. Worldwide, more than 550 species have been described and many are specific to a particular host species of mammal [1]. Three taxa uniquely parasitize humans: the head louse, body louse, and crab (pubic) louse. The body louse, in particular, has epidemiological importance because it is a vector of the causative agents of three important human diseases: epidemic typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever. Since the advent of antibiotics and more effective body louse control measures in the 1940s, these diseases have markedly diminished in incidence. However, …

Generation Of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species And Genotoxicity Effect To Exposure Of Nanosized Polyamidoamine (Pamam) Dendrimers In Plhc-1 Cells In Vitro, Hugh Byrne, Pratap Naha

Articles

Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers elicit systematically variable cyto- and eco-toxic responses, promising the basis for structure activity relationships governing nanotoxicological responses. Increased production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), genotoxicity and apoptosis due to in-vitro exposure of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to dendrimer generations G-4, G-5 and G-6 is demonstrated. A generation dependent increase in ROS and genotoxicity was observed, consistent with our previous studies. The responses correlate well with the number of surface amino groups per generation. Although ROS production initially increases approximately linearly, it saturates at higher doses. Notably, normalised to molar dose of surface amino groups, the dose-dependent ROS …

Formulation Devlopment Of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles As An Injectable Delivery System, Amit S. Wani

Wayne State University Dissertations

Our long term goal is to develop a versatile and robust injectable carrier based on Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles (MSN) for drug/drug combination therapies. The objective of my dissertation was to optimize surface functionality, particle shape and methods of colloidal stabilization of mesoporous silica by PEG for delivery of drug/drug combinations. This was achieved by pursuing the following three aims:

1. Optimize surface functionality of MSN for high drug loading and controlled release

2. Investigate the effect of particle shape and PEGylation on drug delivery in hypoxic tumor cells

3. Develop MSN capable of delivering drug/drug combinations

To investigate the effect …

Evaluation Of A Novel Rapid Diagnostic Test For Schistosoma Haematobium Based On The Detection Of Human Immunoglobulins Bound To Filtered Schistosoma Haematobium Eggs, Johnathan M. Sheele, Jimmy H. Kihara, Sarah Baddorf, Jonathan Byrne, Bhaskara Ravi

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Objectives To determine whether the detection of human IgG bound to Schistosoma haematobium eggs from filtered urine could be used as a rapid diagnostic test (RDT-Sh).

Methods We filtered 160 urine samples from children in the Kwale District of Kenya to isolate S.haematobium eggs and used anti-human IgG antibody conjugated to horseradish peroxidase to bind to the human IgG attached to the eggs. We then added 3,35,5-tetramethylbenzidine base (TMB), which turns blue in the presence of horseradish peroxidase to detect the S.haematobium eggs. The RDT-Sh was compared in a blinded manner to urine microscopy.

Results The RDT-Sh was positive in …

Asbestos Risk Assessment In Pakistan: Current Scenario And Way Forward, Adeel Ahmed Khan, Asaad Ahmed Nafees, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.

Bmp Planning To Address Urban Runoff: Plaster Creek Watershed Sustain Pilot, Tetra Tech, Inc.

Watershed Reports

The Plaster Creek watershed is tributary to the Grand River in west Michigan. Plaster Creek is one of several impaired streams in this area, located in metropolitan Grand Rapids. There are several listed impairments for the Creek including 1) other indigenous aquatic life and wildlife, 2) warm water fishery, and 3) total and partial body contact recreation. Total maximum daily load (TMDL) studies were completed in 2002 for biota and E. coli to address the listed impairments. In 2008, a watershed management plan (WMP) was developed which outlines an implementation plan for water quality improvement in the watershed. This pilot …

Heavy Metal Content In Some Commonly Consumed Vegetables From Kariakoo Market, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Eb Mubofu

Tanzania Journal of Science

This work reports on the levels of cadmium, lead, copper, manganese and zinc in 174 samples from eight varieties of green vegetables (amaranth, Chinese cabbage, cowpea leaves, green pepper, leafy cabbage, lettuce, okra and pumpkin leaf) commonly grown in Dar es Salaam and marketed at Kariakoo, Tanzania. The amount of cadmium and lead ranged between 3-42 and 11-60 μg/kg respectively. The amount of copper, manganese and zinc ranged between 0.35 - 2.12, 1.01 - 7.57, and 1.19 - 6.33 μg/kg respectively. On average consumption pattern, the contribution of these vegetables to the recommended daily intakes (RDI) for cadmium and lead …

Tremulous Jaw Movements Induced By The Vmat2 Inhibitor Tetrabenazine, Samantha J. Podurgiel

Master's Theses

Parkinsonism is a movement disorder characterized by several cardinal motor symptoms: resting tremor, akinesia, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability. Parkinsonian resting tremor can be modeled in rodents using the tremulous jaw movement model. Tremulous jaw movements (TJMs) are defined as “rapid vertical deflections of the lower jaw that resemble chewing but are not directed at any particular stimulus.” TJMs occur in a frequency range of 3-7 Hz and are induced by a number of pharmacological manipulations that parallel those seen in human Parkinsonism including dopamine (DA) depleting agents, DA antagonists, and cholinomimetic administration. Additionally, TJMs can be attenuated using antiparkinsonian …

Environews #3, Dec.3, 2012, Richard Philp

Data and Test Instruments

This issue details how diver/explorers who are also authors, decades ago foretold some of the environmental and economic woes now being experienced. The importance of ocean plankton and their response to climate change is discussed as is the incredible waste associated with surgical procedures and how some medical students did something about it.

N-Glycosylation Dictates Proper Processing Of Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide 1b1, Juan Yao, Weifang Hong, Jiujiu Huang, Kai Zhan, Hong Huang, Mei Hong

School of Information Faculty Publications

Organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs) have been extensively recognized as key determinants of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) of various drugs, xenobiotics and toxins. Putative N-glycosylation sites located in the extracellular loops 2 and 5 is considered a common feature of all OATPs and some members have been demonstrated to be glycosylated proteins. However, experimental evidence is still lacking on how such a post-translational modification affect the transport activity of OATPs and which of the putative glycosylation sites are utilized in these transporter proteins. In the present study, we substituted asparagine residues that are possibly involved in N-glycosylation with …

Characterisation Of Pharmaceutical Grade Horse Chestnut Waste, Joanna Przyborska

Theses

Horse chestnut residue was made available by a local pharmaceutical company. The residue was subjected to compositional analysis and studied to determine potential for residual biological activity, including prebiotic, antimicrobial, anti-hyaluronidase and anti-elastase effects.

The residue had 52 % total solids, including 2.97% ash, 6.93% protein, 1.89% crude fat. Oleic acid (74.7%) was the main fatty acid components in the crude lipid component. The major ash components were potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium.

Prebiotic potential of aqueous extract (HCE) from horse chestnut residue was confirmed. A new formula for calculation of prebiotic index (PI) was developed. PI for probiotics (Lactobacillus …

Evaluation Of The Tagelus® Ta 100d Sand Filter For Removing Quagga Mussel Veligers (Dreissena Rostriformis Bugensis) From Lake Water And The Effectiveness Of The Safeguard Ultraviolet Radiation System As A Biocide Against Veligers, Patricia Kathleen Delrose

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Lake Mead National Recreational Area was created by the construction of the Hoover Dam during the years 1931-1936. In January 2007, the quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis), was found in Lake Mead. This became the first known Dreissenid species in the southwest and the only time a large water system was first infested by the quagga mussel and not the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). This invasive species has quickly spread to Lake Mohave and further down the lower Colorado River drainage. The microscopic size (70 µm or larger) of the veliger life stage makes it impossible to see with …

Dreissena Rostiformis Bugensis: Desiccation Of Adult Quagga Mussels Found In Lake Mead As A Preventive Measure Against Overland Dispersal In The Western United States, Matthew Kappel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The expansion of civilization across all borders of the world has proven to affect major components of ecosystems. Since the introduction and establishment of the aquatic invasive species (AIS),Dreissena rostiformis bugensis, commonly known as the quagga mussel, into the United States there has been an extensive amount of time and money spent on controlling and preventing their expansion across the United States. The quagga mussel is of major concern because of its ability to disrupt the ecological communities in previously non-infested bodies of water, which may cause a loss in biodiversity and effect environmental health. The quagga mussel has spread …

Rickettsia Felis In Cat Fleas, Ctenocephalides Felis Parasitizing Opossums, San Bernardino County, California, Kyle F. Abramowicz, J. W. Wekesa, C. N. Nwadike, Maria L. Zambrano, Sandor E. Karpathy, D. Cecil, J. Burns, R. Hu, Marina E. Eremeeva

Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Los Angeles and Orange Counties are known endemic areas for murine typhus in California; however, no recent reports of flea-borne rickettsioses are known from adjacent San Bernardino County. Sixty-five opossums (Didelphis virginiana) were trapped in the suburban residential and industrial zones of the southwestern part of San Bernardino County in 2007. Sixty out of 65 opossums were infested with fleas, primarily cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché, 1835). The flea minimum infection rate with Rickettsia felis was 13.3% in pooled samples and the prevalence was 23.7% in single fleas, with two gltA genotypes detected. In spite of historic records of murine …

Effects Of Salinity On The Toxicity Of Ionic Silver And Ag-Pvp Nanoparticles To Tisbe Battagliai And Ceramium Tenuicorne, Ailbhe Macken, Hugh Byrne, Kevin Thomas

Articles

The toxic effects of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coated silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP_PVP) and ionic Ag, to Tisbe battagliai (Tb) and Ceramium tenuicorne (Ct) were investigated and the usefulness of standardised marine guidelines for ENP risk assessment were assessed. The toxicity of Ag-NP_PVP [CtEC₅₀ = 26.6 µg/L, TbEC₅₀ = 7.9 µg/L] and Ag⁺ [CtEC₅₀ = 2312.2µg/L, Tb EC₅₀ = 90.9 µg/L] to both test species differed, with the silver ENPs being more toxic. In contrast to Ag⁺ the toxicity of Ag-NP_PVP increased significantly with increasing salinity, however, after thorough characterisation it was not …

Reactive Oxygen Species Mediated Dna Damage In Human Lung Alveolar Epithelial (A549) Cells From Exposure To Non-Cytotoxic Mfi-Type Zeolite Nanoparticles, Kunal Bhattacharya, Pratap Naha, Izabela Naydenova, Svetlana Mintova, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Increasing utilization of engineered nanoparticles in the field of electronics and biomedical applications demands an assessment of risk associated with deliberate or accidental exposure. Metal based nanoparticles are potentially most important of all the nanoparticles in terms of health risks. Microporousalumino-silicates and pure silicates named as zeolites and zeo-type materials with variety of structures, chemical compositions, particle sizes and morphologies have a significant number of industrial uses such as in catalysis, sorption and ion-exchange processes. In particular, the nanosized particles due to their unique properties are used in hybrid organic-inorganic materials for photography, photonics, electronics, labeling, imaging, and sensing. The …

Biochemical Pathways In Cancer, Eun-Kyoung Yim Breuer, Mandi M. Murph, Rolf J. Craven

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract.

Targeting Astrocytes Ameliorates Neurologic Changes In A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Jennifer L. Furman, Diana M. Sama, John C. Gant, Tina L. Beckett, M. Paul Murphy, Adam D. Bachstetter, Linda J. Van Eldik, Christopher M. Norris

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain and play a critical role in maintaining healthy nervous tissue. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) and most other neurodegenerative disorders, many astrocytes convert to a chronically "activated" phenotype characterized by morphologic and biochemical changes that appear to compromise protective properties and/or promote harmful neuroinflammatory processes. Activated astrocytes emerge early in the course of AD and become increasingly prominent as clinical and pathological symptoms progress, but few studies have tested the potential of astrocyte-targeted therapeutics in an intact animal model of AD. Here, we used adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors containing the astrocyte-specific …

Protecting Children From Overexposure To Lead In Candy And Protecting Children By Lowering The Blood Lead “Level Of Concern” Standard, Bryan Wagner, Colleen C. Hughes, Robert Sobsey

Nevada Journal of Public Health

The American Public Health Association: Recognizing that in April 2004, the Orange County Register in an investigative report, published for the first time information that the state of California had been testing for lead in candies for decades but had not informed the public about the high lead levels in many candies, candy wrappers and seasonings (sold as a snack item and consumed as candy) imported from Mexico, the Philippines and other countries.

Environews #1: Nov 2/12, Richard Philp

Data and Test Instruments

Environews #1 is, hopefuly, the first of a series dealing with current issues of environmental concern. This issue discusses the possible role of climate change in the massive floods that followed hurricane sandy, depletion of the world's fish stocks, the possible role, bothe positive and negative, of aquaculture, and the trend to seek oil in increasingly environmentally dangerous venues.

Brief Embryonic Strychnine Exposure In Zebrafish Causes Long-Term Adult Behavioral Impairment With Indications Of Embyronic Synaptic Changes, Nicole M. Roy, Brianna Arpie, Joseph Lugo, Elwood Linney, Edward D. Levin, Daniel Cerutti

Biology Faculty Publications

Zebrafish provide a powerful model of the impacts of embryonic toxicant exposure on neural development that may result in long-term behavioral dysfunction. In this study, zebrafish embryos were treated with 1.5mM strychnine for short embryonic time windows to induce transient changes in inhibitory neural signaling, and were subsequently raised in untreated water until adulthood. PCR analysis showed indications that strychnine exposure altered expression of some genes related to glycinergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic neuronal synapses during embryonic development. In adulthood, treated fish showed significant changes in swimming speed and tank diving behavior compared to controls. Taken together, these data show that …

Cocaine-Induced Reinstatement Of A Conditioned Place Preference In Developing Rats: Involvement Of The D2 Receptor, Kimberly A. Badanich, Cheryl L. Kirstein

Psychology Faculty Publications

Reinstatement of conditioned place preferences have been used to investigate physiological mechanisms mediating drug-seeking behavior in adolescent and adult rodents; however, it is still unclear how psychostimulant exposure during adolescence affects neuron communication and whether these changes would elicit enhanced drug-seeking behavior later in adulthood. The present study determined whether the effects of intra-ventral tegmental area (VTA) or intra-nucleus accumbens septi (NAcc) dopamine (DA) D2 receptor antagonist infusions would block (or potentiate) cocaine-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preferences. Adolescent rats (postnatal day (PND 28–39)) were trained to express a cocaine place preference. The involvement of D2 receptors on cocaine-induced reinstatement …